Artillery cartridge



May 27, 1969 H. STADLER ET AL ARTILLERY CARTRIDGE Filed Dec. 2'7, 1966 5R 0 MR E E D M S S N A ,H 2

HEINZ GAWLICK BY GUNTHER MARONDEL ORNEY United States Patent Oflice3,446,146 Patented May 27, 1969 3,446,146 ARTILLERY CARTRIDGE HansStadler, Nuremburg, Heinz Gawlick, Furth, and

Giinther Marondel, Erlangen, Germany, assignors to Dynamit NobelAktiengesellschaft, Troisdorf, Germany Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No.604,700 Claims priority, application (ggrmany, Dec. 28, 1965, 9

Int. Cl. F42b /36 US. Cl. 102-45 19 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREBackground of the invention The present invention relates to anartillery cartridge, and more particularly to an artillery cartridgeprovided with a charge consisting of flash-damping and/orbarrelprotecting substances.

It is known and also customary in connection with artillery cartridgesto admix to the propelling powder charge substances which dampen orinhibit the gun or muzzle flash and/ or the breach flash. Potassiumsalts such as potassium sulphate, potassium oxalate, potassium nitrate,etc. are suitable in particular for this purpose.

Recently substances are also admixed to the propelling powder chargeswhich produce a barrel-protecting effect. Substances of this type are,for example aluminum fluoride, aluminum fluoro-hydrate, chromiumfluoride, vanadium pentoxide, zirconium oxychloride, niobium oxide,tantalum oxide, borax, potassium titanium fluoride, sodium molybdenumoxide, sodium tungstate, chromium nitrate, molybdenum oxide, etc. -Inorder to achieve a good effect, these substances or ingredients have tobe finely pulverized or atomized during burning of the propellant powdercharge whereby it is particularly important that the pulverization oratomization starts already in the forward end of the cartridge case asthe loads of the barrel are greatest in the section following theforward end of the cartridge case.

An essential disadvantage of the admixture of substances of theaforementioned type to the propelling powder charge resides in the factthat this is possible only within a limited measure because the ignitionand burning properties of the propellant charge are unfavorablyinfluenced by an excessively high admixture of such substances.Consequently, one is forced to strike a careful balance between thedesirable effect of these substances and the adverse influence thereofdeteriorating the burning characteristics of the propelling powdercharge, whence one only has little latitude as regards the admixture ofsuch substances to the propelling powder charge.

Summary of the invention It is an aim of the present invention toeliminate this disadvantage, i.e., to achieve an optimum result by anincreased effect with a minimum of such flash-damping and/or suchbarrel-protecting substances.

This is achieved with an artillery cartridge having a propelling powdercharge accommodated within the cartridge case, a mixture damping themuzzle flash and/or breach flash and consisting of potassium sulphate,potassium oxalate, potassium nitrate and the like and/or an admixture ofa barrel-protecting substance such as aluminum fluoride and the like aswell as a primer composition accommodated within the cartridge bottomand provided with a primer booster charge connected behind the primercomposition, it according to the proposal of the present invention theflash-damping and/or barrel-protecting substance is arranged, either inloose or compacted form, possibly compressed into the form of a tablet,as top charge on the booster charge in the cartridge bottom. With suchan arrangement, the auxiliary substance or substances are fired or shotinto the propelling powder charge by the firing detonation and arethereby uniformly and finely distributed whereas with an admixture ofthe substance or substances directly to the propelling charge, it is atleast doubtful whether also the portion of the flashdamping and/orbarrel-protecting substance located in the neighborhood of the cartridgecase wall participates in the reaction taking place during the burningof the propelling charge.

An improved effect can additionally be realized if in an appropriatefurther development of the present invention, the cartridge bottom isenlarged in a nozzle-shaped manner in the direction toward thepropelling charge within the area of the flash-damping and/ orbarrel-protecting substance because in this case a uniform pulverization0r atomization is assured over the entire propelling charge crosssection.

In order that the booster charge and the additional charge cannotintermingle in an undesired manner during transportation, etc., a diskof a readily destructible material such as paper, plastic material orthe like is provided as separating cover.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide anartillery cartridge of the type described above which eliminates bysimple means the shortcomings and drawbacks encountered with the priorart constructions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an artillerycartridge in which relatively great latitude is afforded to theadmixture of additional flash-inhibiting and/or barrel-protectingsubstances.

Another object of the present invention resides in an artillerycartridge in which in a uniform atomization or pulverization of theadditional flash-inhibiting and/ or barrel-protecting substances isassured over the entire cross section of the propelling charge.

Still another object of the present invention resides in an artillerycartridge in which an undesired intermixing of booster charge andadditional charge consisting of flashinhibiting and/ orbarrel-protecting substances is effectively prevented without impairmentof the proper operation of the cartridge.

These and further objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more obvious from the following description whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, forpurposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view through the rear end of a cartridgeprovided with a primer composition, a booster charge, and an auxiliarytop charge accommodated Within the threaded percussion primer;

FIGURE 2 is a partial cross-sectional view through the rear end of amodified embodiment of a cartirdge case with a primer casing insertedinto the cartridge bottom and containing the primer, the booster charge,and the auxiliary charge; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional view, similar to FIGURE 2, throughthe rear end of still another embodiment of an artillery cartridge inaccordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the various views to designate like parts, and moreparticularly to FIGURE 1, the primer or percussion cap 4, the boostercharge 5, and the additional top charge 7, separated from the boostercharge 5 by means of a cover disk 6 and consisting of conventionalflash-damping and/or barrel-protecting substances are inserted into thebottom 2 of the cartridge case 1, filled with propelling powder charge3, by means of the threaded percussion primer element 8 which isconstructed with a nozzle-shaped enlargement 9 within the area of theadditional charge 7. With the use of flash-inhibiting andbarrel-protecting substances, the latter could also be arranged seriatimfollowing one another and possibly separated from one another by a foilor the like.

During firing the cartridge inserted into a breach recess (not shown) bymeans of the primer pin 10 indicated in dash line, at first the primercomposition 12 is ignited, which consists of highly sensitive substancessuch as lead styphanate, lead azide, tetrazene, etc. and is securelypressed into the primer capsule 11. The ignition flame resultingtherefrom penetrates by way of the ignition channels 14 of the anvil 13,arranged in the capsule or detonator and supported against the threadedpercussion primer element 8, into the booster charge 5 which consists inthe illustrated embodiment, for example, only of oxygen carriers and ofreducing agents but of no explosive ignition substances, and therebyignites the booster charge. The relatively powerful ignition jetresulting therefrom fires or shoots the auxiliary charge 7 following thebooster charge 5 and consisting of flash-damping and/or barrelprotectingsubstance or substances together with the cover disk 6 into thepropelling charge 3 whereby the charge 7 receives a good and uniform aswell as fine distribution extending also over the entire propellingpowder cross section by reason of the nozzle-shaped enlargement 9 of thethreaded percussion primer element 8 so that during burning of thepropelling charge 3, ignited by the ignition jet, the complete reactionor transformation thereof is assured. One is thereby readily in aposition to adart oneself in the best possible manner as regards thebooster charge 5 and also the auxiliary charge 7 to the existingprerequisites determined by the type and quantity of the propellingcharge 3. With the use of a booster charge of the aforementionedcomposition, the quantity thereof may amount, for example, up to 500times the primer composition quantity.

According to FIGURE 2, the cartridge 15 containing the primercomposition, the booster charge, and the auxiliary charge consisting offlash-inhibiting and/or barrelprotecting substance or substances isinserted into the recess or aperture 16 of the cartridge bottom 2 in amanner not shown but in principle in the same series arrangement as inFIGURE 1. The recess 16 is in communication by way of the ignitionchannels 17 with the space for the propelling charge. The ignitionchannels 17 are thereby uniformly spaced over the circumference on aconical path.

In contradistinction to FIGURE 2, the recess or aperture 16 in FIGURE 3is extended through the cartridge bottom 2 by way of a conicalenlargement 18.

The desired uniform distribution of the auxiliary charge extending overthe entire propelling charge cross section is thereby assured both bythe ignition channels 17, preferably arranged in larger number anduniform spacing on a conical path as also by the conical enlargement 18.As to the rest, the considerations mentioned in connection with FIGURE 1apply in an analogous manner also to the embodiments of FIGURES 2 and 3.

While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but is susceptable of numerous changes and modifications asknown to a person skilled in the art. For example, though apercussion-type primer is shown, it is, of course, also possible toprovide an electric fuse in connection with all of the embodimentsillustrated.

We claim:

1. An artillery cartridge having a cartridge case and provided with acartridge bottom, a propelling charge accommodated Within said cartridgecase, primer means within said cartridge bottom including a primercomposition, a booster charge connected behind the primer composition,auxiliary barrel wear-inhibiting charge means arranged between thebooster charge and the propelling charge within said cartridge bottom,said auxiliary barrel wear-inhibiting charge means being an oxide of ametal selected from the group consisting of vanadium, niobium, tantalum,and molybdenum.

2. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary charge meansis in loose condition.

3. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary charge meansis in compressed condition.

4. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary charge meansis compressed into tablet form.

5. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge bottom isprovided with a nozzle-shaped enlargement within the area of theauxiliary charge means enlarging in the direction toward the propellingcharge.

6. A cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising cover disk meansseparating the auxiliary charge means from the booster charge.

7. A cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising ignition channelmeans flaring outwardly in the direction toward the space in thecartridge case accommodating the propelling charge.

8. A cartridge according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of uniformlydistributed channel means are provided located on a substantiallyconical path.

9. A cartridge according to claim 8, further comprising cover disk meansseparating the auxiliary charge means from the booster charge.

10. A cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising cover diskmeans separating the auxiliary charge means from the booster charge.

11. A cartridge according to claim 10, wherein said cover disk meansconsists essentially of a material selected from the group consisting ofpaper, synthetic plastic material and foil material.

12. An artillery cartridge according to claim 1, further includingauxiliary flash-damping charge means arranged between the booster chargeand the propelling charge within said cartridge bottom, said auxiliaryflash-damping charge means being selected from the group consisting ofpotassium sulfate, potassium oxalate, and potassium nitrate.

13. An artillery cartridge having a cartridge case and provided with acartridge bottom, a propelling charge accommodated within said cartridgecase, primer means within said cartridge bottom including a primercomposition, a booster charge connected behind the primer composition,auxiliary fiash-damping charge means arranged between the booster chargeand the propelling charge within said cartridge bottom, said auxiliaryflash-damping charge means being selected from the group consisting ofpotassium sulfate, potassium oxalate, and potassium nitrate.

14. A cartridge according to claim 13, further comprising ignitionchannel means flaring outwardly in the direction toward the space in thecartridge case accommodating the propellant charge.

15. A cartridge according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of uniformlydistributed channel means are provided located on a substantiallyconical path.

16. An artillery cartridge having a cartridge case and provided with acartridge bottom, a propelling charge accommodated within said cartridgecase, primer means within said cartridge bottom including a primercomposition, a booster charge connected behind the primer composition,auxiliary barrel wear-inhibiting charge means arranged between thebooster charge and the propelling charge within said cartridge bottom,said auxiliary barrel wear-inhibiting charge means being selected fromthe group consisting of aluminum fluoride, aluminum fluoro-hydrate,chromium fluoride, zirconium oxychloride, and potassium titaniumfluoride.

17. An artillery cartridge according to claim 16, further includingauxiliary flash-damping charge means arranged between the booster chargeand the propelling charge within said cartridge bottom, said auxiliaryflashdamping charge means being selected from the group consisting ofpotassium sulfate, potassium oxalate, and potassium nitrate.

18. An artillery cartridge having a cartridge case and provided with acartridge bottom, a propelling charge accommodated within said cartridgecase, primer means within said cartridge bottom including a primercomposition, a booster charge connected behind the primer composition,auxiliary barrel wear-inhibiting charge means arranged between thebooster charge and the propelling charge within said cartridge bottom,said auxiliary barrel wear-inhibiting charge means being selected fromthe group consisting of vanadium pentoxide, niobium oxide, tantalumoxide, borax, sodium molybdenum oxide, sodium tungstate, and molybdenumoxide.

19. An artillery cartridge according to claim 18, fur ther includingauxiliary flash-damping charge means arranged between the booster chargeand the propelling charge within said cartridge bottom, said auxiliaryflashdamping charge means being selected from the group consisting ofpotassium sulfate, potassium oxalate, and potassium nitrate.

References .Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 431,601 7/1890 Lorenz l0245573,897 12/1896 Mohr 10245 1,005,052 10/ 1911 Maxim 10238 2,685,2528/1954 Catlin 10245 3,148,620 9/1964 Jacobson et al. 10238 SAMUEL W.ENGLE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

